Nyko Xbox 360 Charge Base Review

Any self-respecting Boy Scout knows that one should “Always Be Prepared”, and this holds true when playing video games.  It has happened to me on more than one occasion that my controllers run out of battery life way before I am ready to put it down.  There are several Xbox 360 battery chargers on the market, and I have tried them all.  It’s great that you can charge multiple batteries at one time, but you still have to think about and manage your batteries.  Why can’t my controllers automatically charge when I’m not using them?

Nyko has come to the rescue once again with their Xbox 360 Charge Base.  Not only will this puppy charge your Xbox 360 controller, but it does so without you having to remove the battery!

To achieve this little feat, you must use Nyko’s custom battery packs (two of which are included).  The reason for this is that OEM batteries do not have charge contacts on the outside of the battery.  Other chargers require that you remove the battery first.

Conveniently store and charge two Xbox 360 Wireless Controllers with Nyko’s Charge Base 360. The Charge Base 360 comes with two custom NiMH rechargeable batteries that feature special contact points allowing for an easy drop-in and charge power solution for your wireless controllers. The dual port recharging dock is AC powered, and plugs into any standard outlet, requiring no cables back to the 360 console. Each rechargeable battery powers the wireless controller for up to 25 hours, and charges a single battery in 2 hours, or both batteries simultaneously in 4. The Charge Base 360 is the ideal charging solution for all Xbox 360 owners.

	Drop-in and Charge Unique design allows for easy recharging of wireless controllers		Charge Indicators LED lights change color depending on charge status
	Rechargeable Two NiMH rechargeable batteries provide up to 25 hours of play time each		AC Powered Plugs into any standard outlet for faster recharging then USB

• Drop-in design allows for easy and rapid recharging of wireless controllers
• 2 custom NiMH rechargable batteries supply up to 25 hours of play time
• Rapid recharge base stores two wireless controllers
• Plugs into any wall outlet for a faster charge than USB
• LED charge indicator lights
• Design matches the décor of the Xbox 360 console and controllers

The charge base and dual-sided batteries come in a clear plastic case, so you can see all of the luscious goodness.  The charge base has the same matte white plastic that odorns the Xbox 360, but has more hard angles in its design (the Xbox 360’s design has a lot of smooth subtle curves).  If you have an Xbox 360 Elite, then you’ll be happy to know that this kit is also available in black.  A 6-foot grey power cord is attached to the back of the base, and plugs into any standard AC wall outlet.

As mentioned previously, the batteries are double-sided.  The inside of the battery has the same 6 pins that every Xbox 360 controller battery has, but the outside (the part visible from outside the controller) has 3 copper contacts that allow it to be charged from the Charge Base.

The Charge Base is shaped like a saw tooth, and allows you to place two Xbox 360 controllers on it. You really cannot charge the batteries by themselves, because the weight of the controller pushes the battery connectors to the base’s pins.  Well, I’m sure you could, but you’d have to put some sore of paperweight on it.

The front of the Base unit has two LED indicators.  The left one is for controller one (the frontmost slot), and the right one insicated controller two (the rear slot).  Once a controller is placed in position, the base senses if the battery requires charging, and indicates its status.  If the battery is charging, then its indicator glows a solid red until fully charged, and then switches to green.

After a short time, the LEDs extinguish themselves.  This is a very welcome feature, as many people will have this unit right next to their console, which is usually located in the living room.  Personally, I don’t want a bunch of annoying lights distracting me while I’m watching TV or playing games, so Kudos to Nyko for thinking ahead.

Using the Nyko charge base is effortless.  The whole point of this kit is that you never have to think about charging your batteries.  Nyko’s batteries easily last over 25 hours under normal use (you might get less if you play games that use vibration features excessively), so unless you frequently play 48-hour Xbox marathons then you’ll probably have to put your controller down at some point.  Since the batteries are still fully Xbox-360 compatible, then you can charge them with a Microsoft’s OEM charger (reviewed here) or even a standard Play and Charge Kit (reviewed here).

As long as you always remember to place your controllers back in the base, then you’ll be ok.  The batteries are also nickel metal-hydride, which don’t have a noticable “memory effect”.  Some people may worry that they will lose effective battery life if they are always charging while at 75% capacity.  In theory, batteries last longer if you let them fully discharge and then recharge them fully, but in practice it really doesn’t matter.  Stop worrying about it and just enjoy the extra freedom that your Nyko Charge Base gives you.

It is true that the charger is much bulkier than other chargers (especially with two wireless gamepads mounted), but having a base looks alot more organized than loose peripherals strewn about.  You’ll almost always have the base plugged in, which is not the case with my other chargers, which sit in a wicker basket with all my other batteries, waiting for an emergency charge session.

To me, the Nyko Charge base is the best charger you can buy.  It overcomes the most annoying problem with other chargers, looks great, and keeps you gaming.

	REPORT CARD : Nyko Xbox 360 Charge Base category rating comments Quality 5 Same high-quality plastic as your console Innovation 5 Why hasn’t someone come up with this before? Aesthetics 5 Organized peripherals look like you’re a pro gamer Performance 5 Charges quickly Value 5 For a few dollars over other chargers, you get an attractive base FINAL VERDICT: Perfect